SAG Awards 2012: "The Help," Jean Dujardin win big honors

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: The cast of "The Help" accepts the Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award onstage during the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Dreaming big was perhaps the theme of the night. When French actor Jean Dujardin accepted the lead actor trophy for his role in the black-and-white silent film, "The Artist," he talked about being a bad student growing up.

"Thank you for this dream," he said.

Davis also spoke about following a dream.

"What is there but a dream? You can't trade in your dream for another dream," "The Help" star said while accepting the lead actress award. She ended her speech with a word of advice: "Dream big and dream fierce."

Veteran actor Christopher Plummer took home the first acting honor of the evening: outstanding male actor in a supporting role for "Beginners."
"I'm so flattered to be on the same bill" as the other actors in the category, Plummer, 82, said while accepting the honor, adding that his co-star Ewan McGregor makes "acting look so easy."
"30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin and Betty White of "Hot in Cleveland" won the best acting in a TV comedy series awards.
During her speech, the 90-year-old White said, "I remember you sweetheart," while touching the trophy.
The cast of "Modern Family" took home outstanding ensemble in a comedy series, and it was the younger actors who got the chance to accept the award.

Kate Winslet, who wasn't present to accept the award, won outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries for her role in "Mildred Pierce." Paul Giamatti, also absent from the ceremony, won the TV mini-series/movie actor award for "Too Big to Fail."

The "Bridesmaids" cast caught some laughs for their "Scorsese" drinking game sketch. Every time director Martin Scorsese's name gets mentioned, they said, it was time to take a swig -- and the girls, including Melissa McCarthy (with drink in hand), managed to utter Scorsese quite a few times while on the stage. Other actors followed suit later in the evening, including Tina Fey and Steve Buscemi.

Jessica Lange scored the honor for female actor in a TV drama series for "American Horror Story, while "Boardwalk Empire" star Buscemi won the best male actor prize for TV drama series. He thanked his cast members, including the ones who were killed off last season.

"Please stop yelling at me on the street," Buscemi said, referring to the reaction from "Boardwalk" fans about the season finale.
Prior to the televised ceremony, the final "Harry Potter" installment won the stunt ensemble film award, while HBO's "Game of Thrones" earned the TV stunt honor.

SAG recognized Mary Tyler Moore, 75, with the lifetime achievement award. The prize was presented by Dick Van Dyke, her co-star on the 1960s sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

"I love that woman," Van Dyke said during his introduction. "Beautiful and bright and talented ... She's given so much of herself to help other people."

The SAG Actor winners are picked by their acting peers. Going into the evening, the Deep South drama "The Help" led the with four nominations. "The Artist" was second with three nominations.

In the past, SAG Awards winners have gone on to earn Oscars. In 2011, all four acting winners also won Academy Awards.